The Apocalypse Survival Manual (Three Days Before Doomsday, I Stockpiled Billions) novel Chapter 584

Chapter 584

The kidnappers knew that even someone as reckless as Marcus wouldn’t be easy to lure out of the neighborhood on impulse. Instead of targeting him directly, they went after Jason.

They were counting on Jason being willing to risk his life for the woman he loved.

The cousins might have gotten on each other’s nerves all the time, but they were genuinely close. Worried tha Jason would get himself killed, Marcus let loyalty override common sense and rushed out of the neighborhood with him.

What could Nicole even say? When a spoiled rich kid was determined to get himself killed, no one could stop him.

“Jasper’s here. He should be able to figure out that someone inside the Robinson family is involved,” she said.

Zeph nodded. “That part won’t be hard for him. The problem is identifying the insider. Unless the kidnappers make another move, there won’t be much to go on.”

They had waited until nearly a year into the polar night to carry out the kidnapping. That alone showed they didn’t act on impulse. They planned everything carefully.

Anyone bold enough to go after the Robinsons was no ordinary group of raiders. The fact that they had beaten Jason nearly to death and broken his arm showed just how ruthless they were.

It wasn’t just brutality, either. It was a message. If the Robinsons refused to cooperate, Marcus would be killed.

Nicole was curious. “Eric already called the police. Do you think he’ll still pay the ransom?”

Even Zeph couldn’t say for sure.

Eric was a shrewd man who had spent his entire life navigating the business world.

Besides, this was the apocalypse. Ten thousand pounds of grain and five thousand pounds of meat were bad enough, but the kidnappers also wanted fifty guns and every medication the Robinsons had.

Even if Eric paid, there was no guarantee they would actually let Marcus go. He couldn’t put dozens of Robinson lives at risk just to save one useless heir.

Giving up their weapons would be like handing the kidnappers the keys to their front door.

Nicole sighed. “Eric isn’t the type to make an emotional decision, but he’ll probably wrestle with it for a while just so he can tell himself he tried.”

No matter how badly he wanted to save his son, Eric still had the rest of the family to think about.

Marcus was probably finished.

Eric’s chest tightened with anger. “What do we do? We let him die!”

“He’s your son! You can’t just give up on him!”

“How am I supposed to save him? By putting our two older sons in danger, too? What about our grandchildren?”

Fiona pleaded, “Then put pressure on the police! Make them send more people to look for him.”

“Do you think we own the police department?” Eric snapped.

He swallowed several blood pressure pills.

“Chief Anderson coming here today was already more help than we had any right to expect. Do you really think he’s going to pull officers and soldiers off their other assignments just to turn Westbridge upside down looking for Marcus?”

The military and police were already stretched thin. They could barely keep order in the city as it was.

If they diverted personnel to search for Marcus and another wave of raiders hit, who would answer for the consequences?